Island



(N0 Model.)

T. F. SPENCER.

DENTAL WASTE REGBPTAGLE.

No. 357,421. Patented Feb. 8,1887.

WI T NESSE S N. PETERS. Fhoto-Lilhn n hur, Washi I of which the waste may be readily cleaned and scraped from the excavator when merely 5o receptacle with the bottom removed.

ATEN'I tries.

T. FRANK SPENCER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

DENTAL-WASTE RECEPTAC LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 357,421, dated February 8, 1887.

Application filed November 8, 1886. Serial No. 212237. No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known'that I, T. FRANK Srnnonn, of the city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental-\Vaste Receptacles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to dental service or a receptacle adapted to receive and holdthe deposits of waste resulting from the usual work of a dentist.

In removing carious matter from a natural tooth to form a cavity for a plug or pivot it is customary for a dentist to mop or wipe out the cavity with a wad or tuft of raw cotton or paper twisted upon the end of an excavator-tool. These bits of cotton, after being once used, go as waste. It is desirable to have areceptacle or catch-Vessel in which to throw the waste, and, moreover, to have a receptacle by means thrust therein.

The objects of my invention are to provide a receptacle for dental waste that will serve to clean the waste from excavators and other dental tools in a quick and efficient manner, and, further, to provide a neat and handy article of service.

To the above purposes my invention consists in the combination of certain features, as set out in the claim at the end of this specification, and which comprise, essentially, a frame or box having an opening therein,which opening is surrounded by a concentric collar provided with a set of downwardly-converg' ing pointed fingers and a removable portion of the box.

In order that my invention may be fully understood I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will proceed to describe the bestforms so far devised by me, which forms may be variously modified.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of myimproved receptacle. Fig. 2 represents an under-side interior view of the Fig. 3

represents a sectional view taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a central vertical sectional view of a modified form of the device. Fig. 5 represents a sectional view of a portion of a further modified form of the de vice, the section corresponding with those in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the said drawings likenumbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

Referring to the drawings, the number 7 designates a cylindrical 'frame or box having the top integral with the sides and the bottom 8 removable and formed with the circumferential shoulder 12, so as to fit tightly into the box.

' At the center of the top of the box is formed the circular opening 9, the edge of which-is rolled or overturned, as indicated. The collar 10 is flat and circular, and is secured up against the under side of the top of the box 7 by means of solder or otherwise, and is provided with the set of downwardly-converging fingers 11, which may be resilientor rigid, as preferred, and may also be integral with the collar 10, or may be set therein.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the fingers 11 are formed cylindrical and tapering to a point and are quite rigid. In Fig. 4 the fingers 11 are flat pointed bodies, which are united near their bases and are integral with the collar 10, which is about twice the diameter of the collars in the other figures. In Fig. 5 the fingers 11 are only two in number, and together they form a hollow cone having a longitudinal cen- .tral split extending from the apex to near the base. The fingers 11 are, in this form, integral with the collar 10 and are quite resilient.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by thrusting an excavator or other tool within the opening9 of the box and moving the same among the fingers any dirt or tufts of cotton that may be on the tool will be scraped oft" and will fall down to the bottom of the receptacle.

In Fig. 4 the fingers are formed so that the tool may be passed between them and cleaned. In Fig. 5 the fingers meet at their ends, and the tool is forced down between them and will push them apart. On withdrawing the tool the springfingers will closely adhere to the tool, and will follow the contour thereof and will scrape and clean it.

The bottom of the box is made removable,

in order to remove the deposits and clean theinterior of the box.

The device may be made entirely of metal, or other suitable materials may be substituted in parts or entirely.

I do not claim, broadly, the use of cleanerfingers in a dental-waste receptacle, for I am aware that the Ooggswell patent, No. 186,307, employs horizontal]y-disposed blunt springfingers. I deem it an advantage and a novelty to construct the cleaner-fingers pointed and to arrange them convergingly dependent; and, therefore,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with a suitable frame or box having an opening constructed therein, of a collar placed concentric with said opening and provided with a set of downwardlyconverging pointed fingers, substantially as herein described.

\Vitnesses: Y

J. A. MILLER, J12, M. F. BLIGH. 

